Heres Why Samsung And Dells New Monitors Are So Exciting For Mac Users
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This is why Samsung and Dell's new monitors are so exciting for Mac users
This is why Samsung and Dell's new monitors are so exciting for Mac users
/We finally have competition in the 5K and 6K monitor space.
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A weird thing happened at CES this year: display makers other than Apple announced true 5K and 6K monitors designed for creative work and productivity. These new monitors, which will appeal to Mac users for reasons other than the white light and lack of RGB backlighting, offer real competition to Apple's Studio Display and even offer an alternative to the overpriced Pro Display XDR.
It's hard to overstate how rare this really is. While there are plenty of monitors aimed at MacBook owners with features like USB-C connectivity, high-capacity charging, and average design, they typically have basic 4K panels and low average pixel density. Unlike the high-resolution screens that Apple puts on its devices. You've always had to compromise with those other monitors when connecting a MacBook.
Many people wonder why you can't just use a large 4K display with a Mac, for which there are plenty of options. You certainly can, and many do, but if you're a designer, artist, or just someone who's particularly interested in how text and images appear on screen, you need a high resolution screen. The way screen scaling works in macOS, pixel resolution and brightness are more important qualities than the refresh rate and fast response time typically found on monitors designed for PC gamers.
Bjango developer Mark Edwards explains how screen scaling works and the trade-offs you make when using a low resolution display with a Mac, and I encourage you to read his article to learn more. . The very condensed version is that you need a screen with around 220 ppi or more for the best accuracy. This means that 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) reaches its maximum resolution at 24 inches: a 27-inch screen requires 5K (5120 x 2880 pixels), while you're looking at 6K (6016 x 3384 pixels) for anything over 30 inches. . .
The history of Apple's showpiece display options has been a checkered one over the past decade. When Apple launched the Retina MacBook Pro in 2012 (followed two years later by the 5K iMac), the monitors of the time couldn't match the pixel density or sharpness of screens available on laptops at about 220 ppi. The average 1080p or 1440p monitor that's worked well for the past decade is suddenly blurry and pixelated compared to a MacBook screen.
Apple, after getting out of the monitor game a few years ago, tapped LG in 2016 to create a line of monitors that matched the pixel density of its MacBook Pro: a 22-inch 4K display, a 24-inch 4K model and . Most interesting is the Hall, a standalone 27-inch 5K monitor that actually used the same screen as the 5K iMac. These LG Ultrathin monitors fit well with Apple laptops of the era, supporting a single USB-C cable connection, adjusting brightness and volume from the MacBook's keyboard, and offering a camera, microphone, and built-in loudspeaker. Display panels, especially on the 5K model, look great with crisp images and excellent color reproduction. But they suffer from issues like poor build quality, poor reliability, and high prices.
There were few other options for large, high-resolution displays - Dell briefly made one, but that was it - until Apple finally released the 6K Pro display. entered the monitor market in 2019 with the 32-inch XDR. This new, larger monitor maintains the pixel density and sharpness of laptops and iMacs, but adds new local display dimming technology that allows it to achieve up to 1,600 nits of brightness. It started at $5,000 and didn't even come with a stand - it'll cost you another $1,000.
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In 2021, Apple finally called for a more affordable monitor with the Studio Display, a 27-inch 5K monitor that effectively adopted the same screen and panel technology (albeit with slightly higher brightness) as the LG 5K UltraFine. and the 27-inch iMac. sleeker It's encased in an aluminum frame and has improved built-in microphones and speakers (but is unfortunately weighed down by a bad webcam). At $1,600, the Studio Display Pro is more affordable than the Display XDR, but it's far from cheap and it feels small in a world of much larger options. But if you want pixel-perfect resolution on your Mac, this is the only realistic option. (The LG 5K Ultrafine is available, but hasn't changed much since launch and still costs over $1,000.)
That was, of course, until this week when Samsung and Dell announced new monitors clearly aimed at Mac users. These new displays aren't the usual 4K panels with USB-C ports and white plastic - they are high pixel density images that work best with MacOS from a resolution and match the clarity of Apple displays. They offer the "complete package" of built-in webcams, microphones, and speakers that Apple sells with Studio Display, providing a complete desktop setup through a single cable.
Samsung's new ViewFinity S9 is a 27-inch 5K monitor paired with Apple's Studio Display. It has the same 5120 x 2880 resolution, matches brightness and color space accuracy, and uses Thunderbolt 4 for connectivity. It also has a built-in microphone and speaker and comes with a webcam, which we hope will be more useful. The aesthetics of the S9 are also similar to the Studio Display, with a sleek design and minimalist stand. No RGB here for gamers - you can put it in a big design studio or include it in desktop porn on Instagram without mocking it.
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Samsung complements Apple with additional connectivity options including HDMI and DisplayPort, making it more convenient to use with two computers or a game console. It also comes with a remote control and integrates Samsung's Smart TV software, so you can use it to watch streaming services at the end of the day (or middle of the day - I'm not kidding).
Perhaps most interesting is the new Dell UltraSharp 32, the first monitor I've seen that matches the 32-inch size and 6K resolution of the Pro Display XDR. It doesn't have the same HDR-capable local display dimming tech as the XDR, instead using LG's black IPS panel, but it comes with built-in speakers, microphones and a powerful 4K webcam. , which lack Apple's high-end options. . The UltraSharp 32 could be described as an extended version of the Studio display, as it offers the desktop peripherals most people need, but with a bigger and just as sharp panel. The Dell also has 600 nits of brightness (same as Samsung's Studio display and the S9) and comes with plenty of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 (up to 140W), HDMI 2.1, Ethernet and four USBs. - and ports. It's basically a full Thunderbolt dock built into the back of the display.
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One of the main areas where Dell differs from Apple or even Samsung displays is in the design. Instead of the sleek, minimalist design of others, the UltraSharp 32 looks as good as any other Dell monitor, with a ridiculously large "front" panel that houses a large webcam. I have a feeling a lot of people will forgive this if the webcam works better than the Studio screen, which shouldn't be too much of a problem.
As is typical of CES announcements earlier this year, neither Samsung nor Dell has released pricing information for these new displays. But it is very likely that they will lower prices for Apple, especially for Dell. Even though it's over $2,000, it's still three thousand dollars less than what you could have bought a 32-inch 6K screen before. I'd be surprised if Samsung's S9 wasn't at least $500 cheaper than the Studio display itself.
We don't yet know how well these displays perform in practice – we got a good idea of the S9 when we briefly reviewed it in a demo space this week – but it's nowhere near being used around the world real. We're not sure how well the microphone and speakers (which are certified on a studio monitor) work, or how well the 4K cameras from Samsung and Dell perform.
There are questions about how they integrate with Apple devices. You'll have to give up Apple-specific features like True Tone with these monitors, and if you plug them into a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro, you won't get the advertised smoothness or brightness that comes with mini LED displays. On this laptop. (Honestly, you won't get those things with the Studio Display either.) Finally, we don't know how committed Samsung or Dell are to this market - after all, Dell made a 5K display some time ago. to say it. to extinguish.
Still, it's exciting that we're finally starting to see real options for high-resolution displays designed to get the most out of macOS after years of mediocre or overpriced options (or both). Apple is also reportedly working on three new monitors, including variants using the same Mini LED technology found in MacBook Pro displays.
If you're looking for a new monitor for your MacBook or Mac Studio, this is going to be a good year.
